Car-coupling



G. A. SEIDEL. GAR GOUPLING.

(No Model.)

No. 544,420. Patented Aug. 13,1895.

Unirse GEORGE A. SEIDEL, OF NORRSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,420, dated August 13, 1895.

Application tiled December 3l, 1894. Serial No, 533,496. (No modehl .To cir/ZZ whom t may concern/.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. SEIDEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification. I

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of automatic carcouplings and to provide a simple and efficient one which may be readily coupled and uncoupled without going between cars, and in which the draw-head will loe-capable of readily yielding to the movements of a train in rounding curves. l

Another' object of the invention is to provide such a car-coupling which will be adapted to be readily connected with the ordinary pinand-link car-couplings without the employment of an additional link, and which will permit a train of cars to be successively started in a manner similar to the ordinary pin-and-link car-coupling.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawingsfFigure l is a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modiiication of the draw-bar. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of oneof the sections 0r blocks of the yielding bearing.

Like numerals of reference indicate correspending parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-bar consisting preferably of a flat bar provided at its inner or rear end with a shank 2, detachably secured to a horizontally disposed transversely-arranged pivot or trunnion bar 3, which is provided at its ends with journals 4, and which has the same arranged in yielding bearings 5. The yielding bearings 5 are slidingly mounted in lona gitudinal slots or openings 6 of parallel drafttimbers '7, and they consist of separate blocks or sections 8, provided at their adjacent faces with bearing-recesses receiving the journals of the bar 3. The sections or blocks 8 are substantially rectangular in form, and are provided in their upper and lower edges with substantially V-shaped grooves 9, receiving oppositely-beveled portions or ribs l0, located at the top and bottom of the longitudinal slots or openings 6 of the draft-timbers, whereby the bearings are retained in the openings and held against lateral movement.

The bearing blocks or sections are cushioned by horizontally-disposed spiral springs 11,- located in rear of the bearings and having their front ends fittedA in sockets of the blocks 8 and their rear ends arranged in similar sockets or openings of blocks l2, mounted at the rear ends of the slots or openings G of the draft-timbers.

The ends of the transverse trunnion or pivot-bar are reduced to form the journals and to provide shoulders at the inner terminals of the journals, and these shoulders pre'- vent any material lateral movement of the pivot or trunnion bar sufficient to displace it from its bearings.

By locating the yielding cushions or springs in rear of the sectional ,bearings of the trunnion-bar the drawbar is capable of a limited lateral swing or movement to enable it to readily accommodate itself to the movements of the train, especially in rounding curves, thereby relieving the draw-bar and its connections of a large amount of strain.

The shank of the draw-bar is threaded and provided with a nut or the like to secure it to the pivot or trunnion bar, and interposedV between the nut and the bar 3v is a cushion 13, preferably consisting of ablock of rubber or similar elastic material; but any other form of cushion may be employed if desired.

The draw-bar is preferably supported by a vertically-adj ustable substantially- U -shaped or rectangular yoke or frame 14, constructed similar to that shown in Patent No. 525,430,

granted me September 4, 1894; but any other form of support may be employed if desired. A spring 15 is preferably interposed between the upper face of the draw-bar and the adjacent portion of the car to hold the draw-bar upon the bottom of the rectangular support,

ICO

and the draw-bar may be elevated to direct it or guide it for coupling by means of a rockshaft 16, journaled on the car and connected with the draw-bar by chains; but any other suitable means may be employed for this purpose.

In order to dispense with the employment of a link for connecting the draw-head with a draw-head of the ordinary pin-and-link style, the draw-head is provided atits extreme outer portion with an opening '18, and a hook 19 is located either in rear of the opening or intermediate of the ends thereof. The opening extends sufficiently in advance of the hook to avoid the latter coming in contact with a draw-head and to permit the draw-bar to extend into a mouth of a draw-head sufficiently to be engaged by the coupling-pin thereof.

The opening 18 may extend in rear of the hook to adapt the coupling for freight-trains where it is desirable to have sufficient play or movement to permit the cars of a long train to be successively started in a manner similar to the ordinary pin-and-link car-couplings; but for passenger-trains,where the number of cars is comparatively small, the hook may be mounted immediately iu rear of the opening. This hook 19 may be formed integral with the drawbar or be constructed scparately and be provided with a threaded shank to screw'into a corresponding opening of the draw-bar.

Vheu two cars come together for coupling one of the draw-bars rides up on the other audits opening engages the hook of lthe other draw-bar, as will be readily understood, and either draW-barmay be guided at the side of the ear without going between cars during the operation of coupling. The rock-shaft also enables the cars to be readily uncoupled, as will be readily understood.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction; that it is automatic and positive and reliable in operatiomand that it eliminates the jerks and jars usually incident to a train passing around curves and prevents such strain from being communicated to the draw-head.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this in- Vention.

Vhat I claim is- 1. In a car coupling, the combination with a car having parallel draft timbers, sectional bearings mounted on the draft timbers and capable of a limited movement longitudinally of the car, springs engaging the bearings, whereby the sections thereof are adapted to yield and a draw-bar journaled in the bearings and capable of longitudinal movement and adapted to swing vertically and horizontally, laterally of a car substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a car coupling, the combination with a car having parallel draft timbers provided with longitudinal slots with oppositely beveled upper and lower walls, of the sectional bearings provided in their upper and lower edges with' V-shaped grooves fitting the beveled portions of the draft timbers, and slidingly mounted in the grooves, the cushioning springs mounted in rear of the sectional bearings, and a draw-bar having journals arranged in said bearings whereby it is capable of a longitudinal movement and an upward and horizontal swinging motion, substantially as described.

In a car coupling, a draw-bar provided with a hook and having an opening extending in advance and in rear of the hook, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflxed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE A. SEIDEL. \Vitnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERs, G. C. SHonnAKnI-i. 

